Mousetrapping is a technique that prevents users from exiting a website through standard means. It is frequently used by malicious websites, and is often seen on tech support scam sites.[1][2]
Mousetrapping can be executed through various means. A website may launch an endless series of pop-up ads or redirects; it may re-launch the website in a window that cannot be easily closed. Sometimes these windows run like stand-alone applications and cause the taskbar and browser menu to become inaccessible. Some websites also employ browser hijackers to reset the user's homepage.[3]
The Federal Trade Commission has brought suits against mousetrappers, charging that the practice is a deceptive and unfair competitive practice, in violation of section 5 of the FTC Act.[4] Typically, mousetrappers register URLs with misspelled names of celebrities (e.g. BrittnaySpears.com) or companies (e.g. BettyCroker.com and WallStreetJournel.com).[5] Thus, if someone seeking the BettyCrocker website typed BettyCroker, the user would become ensnared in the mousetrapper's system. Once the viewer is at the site, a Javascript or a click induced by, as one example, promises of free samples, redirects the viewer to a URL and regular site of the mousetrapper's client-advertiser, who (the FTC said in the Zuccarini case) pays 10 to 25 cents for capturing and redirecting each potential customer. An FTC press release explaining why the agency opposes mousetrapping states:
Schemes that capture consumers and hold them at sites against their will while exposing Internet users, including children, to solicitations for gambling, psychics, lotteries, and pornography must be stopped.
^"Partnerstroka: Large tech support scam operation features latest browser locker - Malwarebytes Labs | Malwarebytes Labs". blog.malwarebytes.com. 2018-09-13. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^Afolabi, Oluwademilade (2023-01-21). "What Is Mousetrapping and How Do You Break Free?". MUO. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
^Other definitions of 'mousetrapping' and related practices are found at Mousetrapping and Pagejacking.
^See, for example, the FTC's complaint against John Zuccarini.
^A catalog of examples of URLs that one mousetrapper registered, which then became involved in ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution proceedings, is available here.
mousetrapping, more, meanings, mousetrap, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, news. For more meanings see Mousetrap disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Mousetrapping news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Mousetrapping is a technique that prevents users from exiting a website through standard means It is frequently used by malicious websites and is often seen on tech support scam sites 1 2 Mousetrapping can be executed through various means A website may launch an endless series of pop up ads or redirects it may re launch the website in a window that cannot be easily closed Sometimes these windows run like stand alone applications and cause the taskbar and browser menu to become inaccessible Some websites also employ browser hijackers to reset the user s homepage 3 Contents 1 Legality 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksLegality editThe Federal Trade Commission has brought suits against mousetrappers charging that the practice is a deceptive and unfair competitive practice in violation of section 5 of the FTC Act 4 Typically mousetrappers register URLs with misspelled names of celebrities e g BrittnaySpears com or companies e g BettyCroker com and WallStreetJournel com 5 Thus if someone seeking the BettyCrocker website typed BettyCroker the user would become ensnared in the mousetrapper s system Once the viewer is at the site a Javascript or a click induced by as one example promises of free samples redirects the viewer to a URL and regular site of the mousetrapper s client advertiser who the FTC said in the Zuccarini case pays 10 to 25 cents for capturing and redirecting each potential customer An FTC press release explaining why the agency opposes mousetrapping states Schemes that capture consumers and hold them at sites against their will while exposing Internet users including children to solicitations for gambling psychics lotteries and pornography must be stopped Timothy J Muris Chairman of the FTC 6 See also editPhishing Typosquatting ClickjackingReferences edit Partnerstroka Large tech support scam operation features latest browser locker Malwarebytes Labs Malwarebytes Labs blog malwarebytes com 2018 09 13 Retrieved 28 August 2019 Afolabi Oluwademilade 2023 01 21 What Is Mousetrapping and How Do You Break Free MUO Retrieved 2023 12 27 Other definitions of mousetrapping and related practices are found at Mousetrapping and Pagejacking See for example the FTC s complaint against John Zuccarini A catalog of examples of URLs that one mousetrapper registered which then became involved in ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution proceedings is available here FTC press releaseExternal links editMousetrapping and Pagejacking by Richard H Stern Is Mousetrapping Unfair IEEE MICRO Nov Dec 2001 nbsp This Internet related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This computer security article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This malware related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mousetrapping amp oldid 1192127202, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
